UN says 2012 was 9th-hottest year since 1850

GENEVA (AP) — The World Meteorological Organization says last year was the ninth-warmest since record-keeping began in 1850, despite the cooling effect of the weather pattern called La Nina.

The U.N.’s weather agency says this marks the 27th year in a row the global average temperature — 58 degrees Fahrenheit (14.45 degrees Celsius) in 2012 — surpassed the 1961-1990 average.

WMO said in annual climate report Thursday the years from 2001 to 2012 were all among the top 13 warmest on record — the hottest being 2010, when the average temperature was 58.2 degrees F (14.6 degrees C).

WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud says “sustained warming of the lower atmosphere is a worrisome sign” of global warming despite La Nina, which is the flip side of El Nino and generally cools the oceans globally.